Archive for August, 2010

This morning, Byron was ready for the bus a whole half hour early, so he asked me to sit down and play a game of Chutes and Ladders with him. Like most Monday mornings, I was already busy picking up the house, starting the laundry, making grocery list/menus, washing the breakfast dishes, ect……, but I’m so thankful that I listened to that little small voice saying, “Stop – take a few minutes to spend this one-on-one time with Byron!”. So we sat at the table, and for 20 minutes we played Chutes and Ladders (one of the most simple games ever). We laughed and talked and had the best time ever!!

It brings to mind a poem that my Mother gave to me when I had my first baby:

Byron is in no way a baby (although I’m sure his older brother and sister would debate that point) :), but I’ve found the same thing to be true about children. The house keeping chores will always be there, but I want to make a special effort to spend time with my children and enjoy them at this age. Whether that be taking a walk, playing a game, or reading a favorite book with them.

So here’s to all Moms today!!! Take a quick minute to play with your children – you’ll both be glad you did!

Isn’t it neat how God gives you a lesson one day, and then the next day He gives you a situation to put to practice what you learned??? That happened to me this week. Just yesterday I was in the car listening to a radio program about the meaning of the verse, “Be still, and know that I am God” – Psalm 46:10

I grew up familiar with this verse in the Bible, and always thought that “being still” meant to be reverent and quiet before God – in meditation. But I found out that it means so much more. The command “be still” comes from the Hebrew word raphah meaning, “cease striving, surrender, stop trying to fix things on your own” – um, hello, that would be me!

As women and mothers, it’s in our nature to fix things. Today, I was waiting for 2 hours for the Dr’s office to call me back with some test results. Those could have been the longest 2 hours of my life. On most days I would have run to the Internet for research, or picked up the phone to call someone and whine about my problems, but God wants us to hand our problems over to Him. He wants to be the first person we turn to. Hence the verse, “Be still – and know that I am God”! When we are still, and surrender to God’s plan for us, it’s then that we will experience His presence, His awesome power, and truly “know that He is God”!

In my Bible Study last week, I read this quote by Beth Moore, “God has carefully and graciously allowed some of my fears to come true so that I would discover that I would not disintegrate. I’ve experienced a few things I was sure would destroy me. But guess what? They didn’t! Not because I’m so strong, but because God taught me to survive on His unfailing love.”

Isaiah 54:10 says, “For the mountains may move and the hills disappear, but even then my faithful love for you will remain. My covenant of blessing will never be broken’, says the LORD, who has mercy on you“. We may face some tough times, but we can be sure of this, God’s love for us will never change!!!

Last week as I was studying about God’s unfailing love for us, it seemed like I experienced His love more than ever. Maybe it was because I was more conscious of it. I noticed it in the rainbow in the sky, I noticed it in the power of the waves of Lake Erie, I noticed it in the wonder of a beautiful sunset. But most of all I noticed God’s love for me through the kindness of a stranger.

I was sitting at the YMCA waiting on Byron to finish swim lessons one day. As I was sitting there reading, a lady walked up to me and said, “Excuse me, you don’t know me, but God has a message for me to give you. I’ve walked by you several times trying to get out of saying this, but He won’t let me. I have no idea what this means, but you might”. And then she proceeded to give me 3 gentle words. I tear up even as I write this, because I did know what those words meant, and it spoke right to a situation that I was dealing with, and feeling hopeless about. I had never seen that lady before, nor have I seen her there since. I thank God that she was obedient to share His message with me. I can’t explain the feeling that came over me when she spoke those words. I don’t think I’ve ever felt God’s presence so much – it was a beautiful thing! So if you’re struggling with feeling God’s unfailing love today, ask Him to show you – He will!

Psalm 33:22 (New International Version)

22 May your unfailing love rest upon us, O LORD,
even as we put our hope in you.